InnFocus Spring 2023

A short walk from downtown Ganges, Salt Spring’s largest
town, and central to the ferry terminals, the 53-room Harbour
House opened as a guesthouse in 1916. Recent renovations
mean that “we have a rustic feel, but we’re actually really modern,”
Armstrong says.
They’ve installed rooftop solar panels and replaced bathtubs
with low-flow showers. They also operate a conference centre,
keeping them busy with corporate events during the off-season.
“We try to be really inclusive,” Armstrong notes. Her staff has
received training to support a more diverse clientele, and the hotel
was recently accredited as a “Rainbow Registered Business,”
granted to LGBT+ friendly properties.
“Hospitality’s always been about the people. You treat your
people well, and your business will do well. You never know where
people are in their journey in life.”
Family-friendly Mayne Island
For Lise Magee, her life’s journey brought her to Blue Vista Resort.
Magee had worked for Vancouver’s Listel Hotel for more than
25 years, eventually moving into the general manager’s role.
“It was a great setup,” she says, “but my husband and I were
always looking for a property that we could take on. Always
wondering what having your own gig would feel like.”
In 2019, the Magee-Miller family found that property, a
nine-cabin resort on Mayne Island.
Opened more than 50 years ago, Blue Vista is “an institution
on the island,” Magee explains, reminding them of places they’d
stayed years earlier, traveling with their children across BC.
The resort is “well equipped, not fancy, well-priced, and friendly.”
Families are a main market for Blue Vista. “We have a
playground. It’s a quiet road. We’re close to the beach. Parents
can let their kids run wild here.”
“We have tons of people that come for weekends. We have
women’s groups, cycling groups, and kayaking groups. And
there’s always the ‘do nothing’ crew.” In winter, they provide
accommodations for construction staff from off-island.
The property’s small size and limited number of employees
relieve them of challenges like finding staff housing, says
Magee. “The biggest issue on the island bar none is housing.”
The Closest Remote Place
While the islands’ population skews older, “all of our
accommodators are seeing a trend toward younger visitors—
millennials and younger,” notes Sterling.
Younger families are settling on the islands, too. Mayne’s
population “increased from under a thousand to nearly 1,400,”
says Magee. “We’ve got more restaurants opening, and more
shops opening. It’s becoming more dynamic.”
This growing population is triggering demand for infrastructure
improvements, including better high-speed Internet and more
stable electrical power. And more people mean more cars,
adding sustainability challenges.
“It’s easy to get to the islands without a car. Getting around
does take some creativity,” Sterling acknowledges. Salt Spring
has regular bus service, and you can rent bikes or e-bikes on
several islands.
On Mayne, only eight kilometres long and six kilometres
wide, Magee says ride sharing is part of the island’s culture.
People can wait at 25 designated “car stops,” and driving
past someone who needs a lift “is bad manners. You can’t
not pick people up.”
The rural Gulf Islands “have a long reputation of being a
refuge, and that attracts alternative and artistic types,” Sterling
says. “We don’t have any chains, save for the grocery stores.
We’re all small, independent businesses and entrepreneurs.”
Yet the Gulf Islands are an easy escape from the city.
“We often call ourselves ‘the closest remote place.’”
Courtesy of @southerngulfislands
Courtesy of Harbour House Hotel
InnFocus 19